Equestrian history, especially Polish, Eurasian and American horsemanship and its history - from Bronze Age to AD 1939. Historical equestrian art, my own artwork & reconstructions, and some traditional art media and digital artwork-related topics.
All my text and my own art etc - all rights reserved unless permitted by 'Dariusz caballeros' aka DarioTW

Friday, October 5, 2012

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth riders in de Bruyn's album - part II

Salve,

today I will share with you some more images by Abraham de Bruyn depicting the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth nobles and military figures. Today's display shows more Polish and Hungarian nobles, as well as includes horse warriors that also served in the Commonwealth forces: Hungarians, Wallachians, Tatars etc.
Hungarians, often present in Polish military, came en masse with king Bathory and distinguished themselves throughout his Livonian War and earlier, in the war with Royal city of Gdańsk.

Lithuanian and Ruthenian horsemen belong to cavalry units known then as 'jazda kozacka' and came from the equestrian nobility of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, today Belarus and Ukraine and yes, parts of Russia. The 'jazda kozacka' also could and did include newly arrived settlers like Circassians and older populations like Polish Tatars.

..Lithuanian horseman with a lance

.. Polish horseman, perhaps a hussar retainer

.. Hungarian noble

.. Hungarian costume

.. typical Hungarian hussar

.. Wallachian hussar

..Wallachian light horsemen

.. Tatar

.. another image of a Tatar

..and another Ruthenian carrying a rohatyna lance

Additionally, our Commonwealth forces also included nobles, their retainers, and mercenary warriors from
German speaking parts of Poland (Poland had large population of emigrants from war-torn Holy Roman Empire) and the Holy Roman Empire (including Polish speaking Silesia and Duchy of Pomerania). During XVI
century large parts of the Commonwealth dressed in the same fashions as the
German states, and newly acquired Livonian states had mostly German-speaking nobility dressed as in German states, so
the Germans in de Bruyn's plates should be included as well. The third installment will include these plates.
ps
top image shows Polish noble and his retainer carrying a tuck

About Me

Czołem/Salve, fellow net traveler... I am Dariusz aka Dario and this is my meydân. Born in the year of the Fire Horse hence I never tire of admiring, drawing & painting or sculpting horses, or just researching the history of equus cabalus, especially in the mounted warrior context. My drawings and paintings - prints - are available for sale (I use MyPaint, Krita & GIMP), I also do commissioned illustration etc, so if you need to contact me regarding a purchase, commission, or any other matter, do email me: darajawausz[at]gmail [dot] com
Ciao - Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas